Bone Marrow
by Alesnik
Summary: Femslash. AU. Marrow escapes her captors, and ends up getting help from an unexpected source. Follow her through a journey of self discovery and a little vengance. What more would you need?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The X-men belong to Marvel Comics and Stan Lee. I am a poor college student trying to make ends meet, so if you sue me you won't get much, maybe my comic book collection which is extensive. However, if you try to take**_ that _**then I'd have to hurt ya.

Warning: This story contains violence, offensive language, and maybe some sex, so if you are not old enough to read this I would encourage you to stop right here.

Notes: Hmm, this is my first attempt at fan-fiction so please have mercy on me. Feedback would be rather nice; especially if you think I suck and need to improvement.

Thanks to Kaz, Jazz, and Crys, you guys are awesome.

Title: Bone Marrow

Author: Alesnik

Rating: R

PROLOGUE

She runs.

She runs barefoot inside the complex system of hallways. Staying close to the walls, using them and the smoke as cover to avoid being seen, but she cannot avoid the glass and rubble littering the ground. It digs cruelly into her skin. She knows she is badly hurt, and with each stride she leaves a trail of blood to be followed. And yet she forces herself to ignore the pain, because she knows if she does not that she will die here.

Tonight.

Her uniform is ripped, stained with sweat and blood. It shredded when she managed to get the inhibitor collar off. Her mutant power kicked in with a vengeance and bones started sprouting uncontrollably over her body. One of them in particular has torn through her uniform close to her left shoulder and she knows it is going to hurt to pull it out, but she accepts it knowing that she will probably need it to defend herself.

Soon.

Most of the agents are dead. She made sure of it, how could she allow them to live after the things they did to her. _Bastards_, she thought.

It took sheer cunning and ruthlessness to overpower them, one by one, and now she feels like she is dying. And perhaps she is, but she is not dead yet, so she will keep running towards the end of the maze, towards freedom. The loss of blood is keeping her in a daze, so she thinks of home, the tunnels, the Hill, and of Mikhail.

_ I must be mental to think of him at a moment like this_, she thinks. _Get your mind back on track girl! _Escape. Survive. Until this moment she had not realized how weak she had allowed herself to become in her quest for beauty.

_ Never again_, she swears to herself, if being considered ugly means she can be strong again then she will abandon her pursuit for the perfect body, the perfect curse.

Her name is Marrow and she will fulfill her destiny.

To lead Gene Nation.

To live free…or die.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER ONE

Marrow flung herself out a window and landed with a thump on the frozen ground. She quickly looked around, hoping she can get the lay of the land.

"Pretty, but not my normal scene", she muttered as she sprinted towards the tree line. Once she was out of sight, she took a moment to catch her breath and listen for any sign of pursuit. _Nothing yet, but I shouldn't be surprised after what I did to them_, she thought in grim amusement. _They started this fight but I am going to finish it_, she scowls at her own thought, and begins to jog through the forest, wincing at the pain moving causes her.

The full moon casts an eerie glow over the trees as she runs, trying to make her way towards the river._ Fuck, I know it must be close, those flatscans talked about it enough times for me to know!, _she thought in frustration.

Marrow's head snaps around as she suddenly hears the sound of pursuit. Her breath wheezes between her teeth as she runs away from them, her arms and legs pumping as she tries to get to her destination as quickly as possible.

"Don't let her get away!" she heard a feminine voice say and then another one. "Over there, dammit! She's heading away from the river!"

Marrow's eyes narrow as she hears them approach. She tries to avoid the rocks and branches laying in her path, as she heads out in the opposite direction, forcing her stiffening limbs to move, knowing she will not live very long if they capture her again.

_ Run_, screams her mental voice.

In the distance she sees the moonlight reflect on the river's surface and tries to clear her mind off all else as she makes her way towards it._ There, girl. There it's where all of this is gonna end_, she firmly tells herself.

She steadily slows her pace down, allowing the pursuer closest to her to be nearly upon her. She then pivots behind a tree suddenly, allowing the first guard to run pass, and then she leaps out from behind it, one leg bent at the knee and the other one straight out towards the throat of the second guard following her. She allows no thought to enter her mind except her desire for the guard's death. To her surprise the guard blocks her kick, but trips, losing her balance and falls face first against a tree not far from where Marrow is now standing.

The first guard quickly makes her way to where her fallen comrade is laying unconscious and with a quick look confirms she is still breathing. When the guard makes a gesture to someone or something behind her, Marrow is able to catch a glimpse of yet another guard. The other guard moves into position, and the two advance towards Marrow slowly. As they approach, Marrow finally gets a chance to see the newcomer's face.

_ Well shit! And here I though he was dead_, she thinks in annoyance. _No problem, he'll just get another chance to die_. Then with a grunt of pain, Marrow jerked a bone out of her upper thigh, like a knife from its sheath, making sure to keep both of the guards in view. Despite her pain and sense of unease, Marrow tried to project nothing but calm, and was pleased to notice the guards' anxiety at her silence. _Hmm, so I was right. Not that many of you left to stop me_, Marrow thought.

One of the guards looks at her steadily as he puts his modified M16-A2 rifle down and swiftly charges her. She efficiently sidesteps his attack, keeping the arm that holds her weapon down close to her leg, and out of sight. Then, as he runs pass her, she reversed directions and slits his throat as she glides behind him.

_ That was easier than I thought_, she relished with a cold smile.

A sudden movement behind her and the appearance of a red dot against a tree trunk in front of her brought her thoughts back to the present and she quickly dropped to the ground. She began to roll out of the way when she felt one bullet enter her side and another hit her shoulder. As she completed her roll she instinctively threw her bone knife in the direction of the movement and was pleased to hear a sharp intake of breath and a loud thump as the guard's body hits the ground.

"Yup, still got it", she murmurs to herself as she begins to look around for things she can use. Marrow slowly walks towards the guard that she incapacitated with her bone knife. She reaches down to yank it out of his throat and hastily cleans it on the guard's uniform before she begins to search him for medical supplies. As she does this, she hears a moan come from the direction of the unconscious guard as her body struggles to recover from the blow to the head.

"Fuckin' upworlder, couldn't that bitch stay down?" Marrow snarls in anger as she stands up, tightening her grip on her bone knife, she strides to where the guard is approaching consciousness. She crouches down and puts one hand under the guards chin and another behind her head, then with a quick jerk Marrow snaps her neck.

That was the last of those bastards, her thoughts trail away and she steps away from the guard's body. Looking around slowly, committing every detail to memory, then she walked in the direction of the river, and away from the images that seemed to burn into the back of her mind.

In Salem Center, the dawn of the next day held a cool breeze, a result of recent rain. Marrow moved silently over the wet concrete as she scanned the narrow alley ahead of her, trying to shake the numbness that seemed to engulf her body.

_ Dammit, why am I feeling like this?_, she wonders as she tilts her head slightly and closed her eyes, allowing herself to concentrate on what her senses were telling her was out there. _Ah yeah, nothin' too dangerous, just your average surface slugs_.

Marrow crouched behind a dumpster to cover up her whereabouts and stared intently at the three story brick building across from her. _That has to be it_, she thinks in apprehension. _I hope it is_.

After a pause she used to catch her breath. She swiftly moved towards the outer door of the building, and efficiently uses a small bone to pick the lock. She then begins to climb the stairs, hoping that she will find who she was looking for. As she reached the second story, she heard noises behind the closed door. _I really hope she's here. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stand_, she thought in dismay. _Pathetic, Marrow. Pathetic_. And with that thought running through her head she shouldered the door open.

A woman screams in surprise as she turns around, just in time to see Marrow stumbled through the door.

"Marrow!"

" 'lo, healer." Marrow whispered as she collapsed to her knees in front of Doctor Cecilia Reyes. "Guess who's come for a visit?"

"Dios mio!" gasped Cecilia horrified at the girls condition, "Que te paso?!" uttered Cecilia in Spanish before realizing that Marrow probably didn't speak the language, so she restated her question, "Tell me what happened?"

"I ran into some old friends, healer..." Marrow said then paused to take a breath "...and I guess I'm not as popular as I thought", Marrow finished in an amused tone right before she passed out.

Marrow opened her eyes not knowing where she was or how long she had been there. She looked around the sterile room and spotting the bathroom tried to sit up. She groaned in pain as her head began spinning. She got out of bed and collapsed almost immediately, feeling sick to her stomach.

_ At least I'm not dead_, she thought as the pain hit her again. _I feel way too bad to be dead_.

After a few minutes, she stood up hesitantly and gradually made her way to the bathroom, carefully looking at her feet to make sure she didn't trip on anything along the way. She found herself in front of the sink and made the mistake of looking in the mirror.

_ What the fuck--?!_ She thought in shock. Her face was a complete mess, she had a split lip, cuts lined her temple above her left eyebrow, and there was a bruise on her right cheekbone. _Why didn't my powers heal this?_ she anxiously wonders.

Marrow looked away for a moment trying to collect her thoughts, and then taking a deep breath decides to take a second glance. The image greeting her was no better than the first time. Turning her head from side to side she noticed that dried blood trailed down from behind her ear onto her neck and shoulder. She looked down at the rest of her body and realized that not only was she naked, but there were bandages covering one shoulder, her abdomen, and legs. _What the hell happened to me?_

She stepped away from the mirror in confusion, not really understanding what has happened to her, and made her way back to the bedroom. As she approached the bed, she is startled by a door opening and the sound of voices on another side of the building.

She hastily looks around the room for a weapon and takes a scalpel from a tray that sat on the dresser. She then steps to one side of the door frame and waited for whoever was in the building to approach.

She holds her breath as she waits and tries to force the hand that holds the scalpel to stop shaking as the door begins to open. She knows that something is wrong with her powers, but now was not the time to be afraid. With a snarl of rage she attacked, a foot lashing out to hit the intruder behind one knee, but something unexpected happened. She is baffled as her foot made contact with something and bounced off, and then she finds herself getting slammed against the wall.

She uses her rage to take her mind away from the pain, as she rolls to her feet, then with a scream charged the person in front of her.

"Marrow, que demonios estas haciendo?!" shrieked Cecilia as she dodged to one side in an attempt to keep the girl from injuring herself further by slamming into her psioplasminc bio-field. "Dammit girl, get a hold of yourself!"

"Wha--?" Marrow rapidly paused in her attack and looked around in confusion. "Healer, is that you?" she finished hesitantly.

"Of course it is! Who did you think I was? The tooth fairy?" replied Cecilia in anger. "What is wrong with you? You come to me unannounced and then try to kill me after I help you?!"

Unexpectedly, Doctor Henry McCoy, burst through the door asking, "Cecilia, are you hurt?"

Marrow, feeling the shame filling her, she tries to apologize, but the words do not quite manage to make it out. She looks around the room, then moves to take a seat on the bed and leaned against the headboard. "Sorry, healer," she stated tentatively "I didn't remember where I was" she let her words trail off not knowing what else to say.

"It's ok, girl." said Cecilia unconvincingly "Just let me take a look at you" she said as she slowly turned Marrow's face to the light and looked at her new injuries "Once I patch you up again, Xian and I will help you clean up, ok?"

"Who?" replied Marrow with a confused look.

"Right," says Doctor McCoy with a distinct cough, "you two have never met, but that can be easily fixed. Just let me go downsta--"

"Oh, get out of the way, Henry!" said Cecilia in exasperation. "You can be a gentleman later and introduce them, but right now just let me take care of that gash!"

"Very well, Cecilia. I will be waiting for you downstairs so we can conclude our business." He said in a seriously wounded tone and left.

"Damn, Healer. I didn't think it was possible to hurt his feelings." Marrow said with a chuckle that changed into a bark of pain, as Cecilia slowly probed her face. "Careful!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby and just be glad to be alive!" she added in an unsympathetic tone as she continued to patch up the injured young woman.

Marrow stared at Cecilia unblinkingly when she said "I am, healer. Believe me, I am"

"Are you going to tell me what happened to you?" asked Cecilia seriously.

"Are you sure you wanna to know, healer?" replied Marrow, her eyes piercing as she addressed the doctor. " 'Cuz believe me when I say that it's a very long story"

"We have nothing but time, so start talking" she said impatiently.

Marrow sighed knowing she wouldn't be able to get out of this and started thinking about what she was going to say to Cecilia.

"Marrow?" Cecilia called out gently trying to get the girl's attention. They were still sitting on the bed, and Cecilia tried to control her impatience, as she waited for the brooding teenager to tell her what happened.

Marrow focused her attention back on the doctor as she began her tale. "It all started after I left the X-men. I went looking for a way to completely control my powers, to hide my bone growth permanently, and found an organization willing to help me..." the girl hesitated as if trying to find a way to lie. "...for a price."

In a flat voice that spoke volumes, she continued. "They wanted a killer and I went back to it. The sad thing is that I didn't do it for a worthy cause, it was all done for beauty" her voice trailed of as a glimmer of what looked like pain flashed over her expression before it disappeared like it had never existed. "They told me that they could help me control my bone growth permanently, but they lied and I tried to get even by stealing some information. As you can see" she said as she gestured towards her body, "it didn't work."

Cecilia nodded as if in understanding, "Do you think tha--"

"Don't, ok." She said flatly "Just don't."

"Marrow, we really need t--"

"What time is it?" Marrow asked abruptly, interrupting her.

Cecilia sighed, realizing the teenager wasn't going to talk about it anymore, at least not today. "A little after five thirty" she replied automatically without looking at her watch. "I should go make something to eat. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Maybe you should try to get some sleep until then" encouraged the doctor with a sympathetic expression on her face.

Marrow frowned, "No, I'll stay up, but thanks."

"Alright, but I want you to know that later tonight, I will have to return to the mansion with Hank. We need to run some tests on your blood to find out what's affecting your powers," the worried doctor explained, "We will leave someone with you just in case you need something."

"I really don't need a babysitter" Marrow answered, annoyed by the situation.

"Yes, I don't suppose you do, but I don't want to come back here and find out you've disappeared." She said with a look of resolve on her face as she stood up.

"Whatever" Marrow grumbled, then turned her head to look out the window.

Cecilia walked towards the door, then stopped and turned to look at her for a moment, wishing she knew what was going through the girl's mind, and then with a sigh she left.

END CHAPTER ONE


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER TWO

_...The room was hot and the floor was cover in blood. She was grateful that the screams had not carried down the halls, as she made her way out the door and towards the next shadow. Her heart felt frozen solid, but her angry soul welcomed the feeling. Mercy would be denied to them, and rightly so. All their kind was evil, and evil was something she knew very well. She was a monster, one that had caused others untold suffering, but even she had learned the meaning of compassion. These men knew nothing of that, and she would make sure that they do not live long enough to learn. _

_She saw a shadow ahead of her and moved towards it. She drew herself up, her gaze fixed on the back of his neck. She painfully forced her body to obey her, covering her knuckles with a thick layer of bone, and then moved to strike with a back fist._

_...then there was blood... _

Marrow jerked out of her dream, having fought her way back to consciousness. Pain laced through her in layers as she moved to sit up, trying to calm her breathing enough to hear other sounds, but nothing. She looked around the room, trying to make out details but there was mostly darkness. Panic griped her at her situation, tightening her chest up with an unbearable pain. What if she never got her powers back? What would she do then?

The door to the bedroom creaked open, and a surge of fear constricted her throat, as light spilled into the room. Marrow forced herself to swallow and turn her head towards it, while remaining seated. A shadow filled the doorway, short in stature but with long legs and a narrow waist, unquestionably a female. She couldn't make the details out in this semi darkness, not without her powers. She could feel her stomach tightening up again in fear and it pissed her off.

"Yeah, what do you want?" she asked in a challenging tone.

"I brought you some clothes" she woman replied in a soft musical voice as she stepped into the room and set the clothes down on the dresser. "I thought you might need them if you decided to walk around. My name is Xian by the way, I am a friend of Ha--"

"Look, babysitter" Marrow interrupted rudely, "I don't need clothes to walk around, in case you didn't realize that" she said with a sneer. "I also couldn't care less what your name is!"

Xian let her hands dangle at her sides, and with a nod of her head towards Marrow's direction she returned downstairs.

Marrow having expected an argument didn't know how to react to Xian's departure "Well, fuck."

Marrow stood at the entrance to the living room, having taken the time to shower and dress in some of the clothes that Xian had delivered earlier. She knew that she should apologize for her behavior, but she was not sure how that would go.

"Hey..." she greeted.

Xian turned, sitting sideways on the sofa in order to face her, acknowledging that she was there, and yet she did not reply.

"Look, about earlier..." Marrow began reluctantly. "I didn't mean..." she gestured towards both of them. Pausing in her apology she sat down next to Xian on the sofa, looking straight out in front of her. "I...I'm sorry, ok?" she finished softly, and forced herself to look up. She was very surprised at what she found there.

"You're not very good at this whole apology thing, are you?" Xian asked with a soft smile on her face.

"No," she felt herself blushing as she replied. "Not really..."

Xian took her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded, fighting laughter at the girl's embarrassed look. "Hmm, would you like some food? Cecilia made something for you earlier, but you had fallen asleep by the time she brought it up."

"Yeah, in a while." she replied.

At first Xian didn't understand why Marrow was just sitting there, but looking at her face she realized that she was grinding her teeth. Ah, now she knew. "Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked softly. "I could try to help you, if you want." She closed the distance between them but stopped herself short of touching her.

Marrow looked at her strangely for a moment, while she thought about the offer. "No, thanks," she replied.

"Please..." Xian protested. "I know you're in pain." It was strange, that she was so worried about her. "Admitting it will not make you seem weak, not in my eyes." She felt a kinship with the girl in front of her, the pain and the pride, were things she was very familiar with. Her anger was like a beacon, lighting up everything in her path. So much like her own, only she was much better at hiding it.

Marrows eyes fluttered closed as she nodded her agreement.

Relief washed through Xian, and she managed to let go of the breath she had been holding. She held up her hand slowly "I am going to touch you..." then a small smile touched her lips, "but I won't hurt you".

"I know." Marrow uttered the words without meaning to, and was surprised to realize that she meant them.

Xian used her hands to cradle the back of Marrow's head gently, then closed her eyes and began her work. Trying to suppress her pain receptors would take a while, since her telepathy was not at the same level as the Professor's. _I can do this_ became her mantra. After a few minutes she heard Marrow sigh in relief, and that alone made her grin.

Xian opened her eyes, still pushing the last of Marrow's pain away. It was not easy work, since she was not trained in this. Her psychic possession powers worked differently and the telepathy was a recent thing. They still sat on the sofa, and her hands were still holding on to Marrow, she tried not to think about how that felt. The contact seemed like her only connection to reality, she was not exactly sure what drew her to help in the first place, but the reason didn't matter, only this moment. Still, her work was complete and it was time to let go.

She allowed Marrow's awareness to return slowly. Their minds were still connected at the most basic level. It was a very comfortable feeling, but Xian forced herself to withdraw. "Is that better?" she asked with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Yes..." answered Marrow breathlessly, "I had almost forgotten what it was like..." she continued in a choked voice, and leaned back on the sofa, trying to pull away.

"Shh, everything will be fine" Xian whispered, and then gathered Marrow into her arms, allowing her to expel her pain and frustration. She kissed the top of Marrow's head and then began to make some soothing noises, but that only made Marrow bury her face against her neck and cry harder. Xian could not believe what was happening. Where was the rude girl that greeted her earlier, the cold-hearted killer everyone spoke about? This could not be her; this girl was soft, vulnerable, and so very proud. She had never felt so close to another human being in her life, and her heart thumped against her chest in realization.

The weeping finally stopped, and Xian felt Marrow begin to tense up in her arms. "Don't be ashamed to cry" she began, but seemed to lose her ability to think clearly as Marrow lifted her head, and looked at her with tearful blue eyes. "Don't be ashamed...," she repeated, and then as if possessed by her own powers she leaned forward and brushed her lips tenderly across hers.

Absolute silence fell in the room, as they sat looking at each other. Xian reacted first, her emotions swirling deep inside her. "Look, I didn't..." she began, her voice thin with uncertainty "I mean...y-you don't understand." and winced at what she just said.

"You better go" Marrow said as she detached herself from Xian's arms, putting some space between them.

"Marrow?" she appealed softly, and reached out to as if to touch her.

"Don't!" Marrow drew a deep shuddering breath "Please, just leave."

Xian was not surprised at Marrow's response, nor could she blame her, but it still hurt. So she stood up on shaky legs, and with her face red from embarrassment, she removed herself to the kitchen to reheat Marrow's dinner. Hoping that it would give her enough time to pull herself together, and come up with some type of apology that actually made sense.

Marrow didn't know how long she sat there, but she seemed to have developed difficulty breathing. That kiss had been a shock, but she did not regret it, no one had ever kissed her like that. It had been very brief, and yet it had conveyed so much, it had been the first time in her life she had not felt alone. She knew she had hurt Xian with her reaction, she had seen the confusion and hurt settle over her features when she had been asked to leave. Then her heart leaped into her throat as she realized what she wanted to do, what she had to do. So, she gathered her courage and stood up with a single purpose, going through the same doorway Xian had earlier.

She found her in the kitchen, reheating food and placing it neatly on the table. Hesitating on the entrance to the kitchen, Marrow watched Xian move around gracefully for a minute and made a decision to put all her uncertainties to rest. As new and unfamiliar as it was to her, this feeling was not something she could just let go, at least not without exploring it further.

Marrow moved into the kitchen and walked until she was standing right behind Xian. Slowly, she reached out and touched her shoulder, and Xian turned in surprise at the contact. _She must have been distracted, if I managed to sneak up on her_, Marrow thought in amusement, but then she noticed that Xian's eyes were bright with unshed tears and her hair was somewhat mussed, as if she had run her hands through it in frustration. Marrow thought she looked worried and a little hurt, and felt an ache in the region of her heart. _Damn, what is happening to me?_

Xian did not say anything, but her posture relaxed slightly as she watched her. Marrow felt a small smile touch her face, and after working up the nerve, she leaned forward and kissed Xian hesitantly, placing her mouth gently against hers. Xian's lips were moist and yielding, and Marrow never thought that kissing a woman would be so intense. _Now you've done it girl. You can't take any of this back_,her mind screamed as she began to wonder if she had done the right thing.

Suddenly, Xian was kissing her back, touching her tongue with her own gently, but with undeniable passion. Marrow moaned as she was consumed with arousal, it was making her lightheaded, so Marrow pulled away and took a shuddering breath, trying to calm her rampaging heartbeat.

"Xian..." she said as she ran the tip of her fingers over Xian lips. "I--I've never..." she said, removing her fingers away from Xian's mouth, "What is happening to us...?"

"I don't know..." Xian answered sincerely, "I really don't know." Then she kissed her again hungrily, their mouths opening to each other without reservation. Xian kissed her with all the pent-up emotion she could not yet understand. "Marrow..." Xian said softly, as she lovingly kissed her way down her neck.

"Sarah..." she gasped "My name is Sarah..." she repeated as she grabbed Xian and pushed her back against the kitchen counter. Marrow wanted her, with an intensity she had never experienced. She ran her hands up Xian's arms, over her shoulders, and down her back as she kissed her. She could not seem to get enough of her, but as Xian wrapped her arms around her tightly, Marrow gasped in pain.

Xian stepped back in alarm, not knowing what had happened. She looked at Marrow in concern and saw that her shoulder was seeping blood, so she reached out and took a towel from the kitchen counter, and pressed it firmly against the wound to help stop the blood flow. Marrow's breath hissed out between her lips, as she reached out to grab Xian's hand, her fingers clenching around her wrist. "Sorry," she said quickly, a muscle in her jaw clenching, as she let go of her hand.

"It's ok." Xian said as she guided Marrow to take a seat at the table. "I should really look at your shoulder and see if we can stop the bleeding," with a lingering look, Xian left the kitchen to search for the medical supplies she needed.

END CHAPTER TWO


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER THREE

Marrow tried ignoring the throbbing pain on her shoulder, as she waited for Xian to finish stitching the wound closed. With any luck this time, the stitches would stay in place, it all happened at such an inconvenient time. She tried to stay still, but Xian's closeness was distracting her. She squirmed in her seat, Xian's was standing so close that Marrow just wanted to hug her, maybe then she could feel warm again. Xian's hair was mostly covering her face as she worked, but Marrow did not need to see her eyes to know that she was just as aware of her proximity. Her hands clenched as she tried not to stare at Xian's breasts, as they pushed against the fabric of her tank top. Not being able to stand it anymore Marrow placed one hand on Xian's stomach, just needing to touch her. Xian's hand froze in place, but her head turned as she looked at her, and Marrow's breath seemed to stop as she caught the full impact of her gaze. She stared intently trying to decipher its contents, and her blue eyes widened as she finally figured it out. Xian's dark eyes were full of longing, confusion, and hope. Marrow could understand the first two since she herself was feeling it, but hope, what use could anyone have for it? Hope was for those who could not live with reality.

"That's good enough," Marrow said, trying to get Xian to stop her ministrations.

Without stopping what she was doing Xian muttered her reply, "Don't worry, I'm almost finished."

"I said it's enough!" she repeated sharply, as she stood up.

However seeing the sheer determination entering Xian's face she knew she was in trouble. "In that case, we have a serious problem, since I refuse to let you bleed all over Cecilia's floor," she said in frustration, knowing the real reason behind Marrow's outburst. "Look, don't make me for--" she clenched her teeth, to keep the rest of her sentence from escaping, "Sarah, I know that you're...confused, but please let me finish." For a moment, there was silence as Xian waited for her reply. Then with a long-suffering sigh, Marrow retook her seat.

"Don't worry, I'm almost done," Xian said, putting the last of the tape that would hold the bandage in place. "There, finished. Now you can run away if that's what you really want."

Marrow's eyes narrowed at the comment. "What the hell does that mean?"

Xian said quietly, "Exactly what I said." She closed her eyes for a moment, as her mind screamed for her not to continue. "You don't need an excuse to get away from me, just tell me that's what you want."

Marrow's reaction was immediate, "That's not fair! I don't know how to handle any of this," she continued, her voice getting louder as she burst out of her chair. "What did you expect?! We don't all have your experience!"

Shaking her head, Xian placed the roll of tape on the table. "Don't do this," she said in annoyance, "You don't know me well enough to make accusations regarding my _experience_."

"No, I don't know you at all!" Marrow snarled back.

Xian's smile did not reach her eyes, "That is true, and maybe we should leave it that way." Marrow's gaze fixed on hers, and Xian refused to flinch under the intensity of it. Anger and dismay surged through Xian, knowing that the argument had been a result of their inability to cope with their feelings. "Sarah..." Xian called, trying to get past all the tension between them, and at the sound of her name, Marrow's eyes changed from furious to rueful. Xian ran her hand through her hair, "I think we both need a moment here, don't you?"

With a snort of laughter, Marrow reached out to grasp Xian's hand. "That's an understatement, if I ever heard one," as she began walking towards the living room, pulling Xian along with her.

Marrow leaned back on the sofa, a blanket comfortably wrapped around her, as she watched Xian picking up the remnants of their dinner. She had offered to help, but Xian had flat out refused to let her move, not wanting her to reopen any more wounds. Finally, after all the pampering, they were going to discuss what had happened.

After a few minutes Xian returned from the kitchen, and sat on the floor facing the sofa. She seemed reluctant to initiate the conversation, but eventually did so in a subdued voice. "First, I want to apologize for upsetting you in the kitchen. It just upset me, when I thought you were trying to avoid me. I know that is no excuse, but I am very sorry."

"Me too," Marrow managed "I mean, about the being sorry part."

Xian nodded. _Well, that's some progress, _she thought as she curled her legs underneath her, and stared at the shadows dancing over Marrow's face. "I want you to know, that I never expected for this to happen. I never thought possible to feel this close to someone upon first meeting them, but I do, and the only thing left for me to do is deal with it." Marrow shot her a shy smile, but did not respond, so Xian continued, her voice low, "I am not unhappy this happened, but it is very frustrating. Sometimes I feel like I know everything about you, but then something happens that makes me realize I don't know you at all."

"And you want to change that?" asked Marrow. "You want us to be what? Friends?"

"Why not?" Xian replied, with a shrug. "I want to get to know you better, and I get the feeling that you might want the same thing. All I asking from you is the chance to do that. Who knows what will happen then?"

Marrow grew silent, obviously thinking over what Xian had said. Then a trace of amusement entered her voice as she asked, "So what do you want to know?"

"Anything. Whatever you want to tell me."

Marrow stared, her mouth suddenly dry. "Well, I am a Morlock, as if you didn't know, and we used to live underground in abandoned subway tunnels. When I was a child, I survived the Morlock Massacre, only to be transported to another dimension by Mikhail." Marrow paused. "That place was a shit-hole, and everyday was a struggle. Mikhail taught us that only the strong survived, and I believed it." Marrow sighed. "Then he convinced us that we had to avenge the death of the Morlocks, by making the flatsc--I mean, the humans pay." her voice turned rough with emotion, "The first thing we did when we arrived here was kill some humans at a nightclub in New York, and then we tried to kill Leech, a former Morlock who was staying with Emma Frost in Massachusetts." She stopped her narrative, the tightness in her throat, not allowing her to finish "I'm sorry...I don't think I can..." shifting her position as if to get more comfortable, and then she looked at Xian anxiously, waiting for her reaction.

Xian did not say anything right away; she merely got up and walked towards the window. "That was certainly interesting," then turned to look at Marrow, "but if you think I'm going to judge you too harshly then wait until you hear what I have to say."

A chill ran up Marrow's spine at her words.

"I killed my twin brother, Tran." Xian began, as she pace back and forth, looking at Marrow the whole time. "He was a mutant, and like me, he had the power for psychic possession. He used his powers to help our uncle build his criminal empire." She lowered her head as she continued, "After my younger brother and sister were kidnapped, I went to my uncle and took my brother's place by his side, in exchange for help finding them." She approached Marrow and kneeled next to the sofa, taking her hand in hers, "So you see, you're not the only one who has done unspeakable things."

Marrow sat there, completely overwhelmed by Xian's revelation. Her mind trying to wrap itself around it all, she looked down at their joined hands and felt a sense of relief fill her. She watched Xian intently, and brushed Xian's hair away from her face, just before she leaned forward and brought their lips together.

Xian stayed awake, long after Marrow had fallen asleep on the sofa. They had spent the night together, talking about everything they could think of, and it had been amazing. Before today, she never would have thought that they could have anything in common, but she had never been happier to be wrong. Xian reached over and let her fingers skim over Marrow's hair, her face, her lips. Knowing that her touch could wake her, but not being able to stop.

"Hey..." Marrow said in a sleepy voice.

Xian stiffened at the sound of her voice. _Damn_, she thought. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did." Marrow said as she tried to stifle a yawn, "Until someone woke me up."

"Sorry" Xian muttered with a guilty look on her face. "I didn't mean to" or _maybe I did_, she finished mentally.

"It's alright," Marrow replied with a sleepy grin. "I was just teasing you."

Xian did not immediately respond to the teasing. It had been a very long time since she had felt this alive, and she did not think she could give it up. "So what do you want to do now?"

"How about watching some television?" replied Marrow, as she began to make room for Xian on the sofa. "I've heard a lot about it, but I have never really watched it."

"All right, television it is" she said as she took her place on the sofa and began to look around for the remote. "You're in for a real treat, you know?"

Marrow sat at the kitchen table eating her cereal, not her favorite thing to eat, but food was food. She could hear the shower running and figured Xian should be finished sometime soon. It had been a long night for them, after watching T.V., they had eventually fallen asleep on the sofa for a few hours, their arms around each other and legs entwined. They had been startled awake when the phone rang; Cecilia had called to let them know that she was on her way back from the mansion.

Feeling apprehensive, Marrow hoped that Cecilia had news regarding her powers. _I don't know how long I'll be able to stand this_, she thought, as she picked up her bowl and placed it in the sink. Then, as she began to wash the dishes, she heard the front door open, and steps resonate down the hallway, and Cecilia walked into the kitchen a minute later. Marrow dried her hands and turned around to greet her. "Hey healer." She began, and could not help but ask, "Any news?"

Cecilia nodded her head "Yes, and we should discuss it as soon as you're ready."

Marrow swallowed the lump in her throat, "I'm ready now."

"Hmm, ok." Cecilia replied with a weird look on her face. "If that's what you want."

"It is, healer" she replied with a small shudder. "Can we just get this over with?"

END CHAPTER THREE


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FOUR

"Come on, sit down" Cecilia waved towards the table in front of her. "I am not really sure how to explain all of this," she continued after taking a seat and resting her arms on the table.

Marrow started to get anxious as she took in Cecilia's rumpled clothes; it looked like she had been awake all night. "What's going on? Is it really bad?"

"No, it's not all bad"

"Healer, just get on with it," Marrow said exasperated.

Cecilia chuckled at Marrow's irritation. "I'm not sure how much you know about genetics, but stop me if you have questions, ok?"

"Sure. Now go for it."

"Muy Bien. Genetically speaking, all mutants with super-human powers have an active X-Gene, but the traits and characteristics that define your powers are all found over a DNA strand. These DNA strands hold a series of special sequences." Cecilia began to explain calmly, "In your case, this special sequence allows you to pull bones out of your body. Are you following me so far?"

"Yeah"

"Yesterday, when I removed the bullet from your shoulder, I realized that it didn't look like any bullet I have seen before, so I called Henry and asked if he could examine it. He found that the bullet held a chemical compound, which was introduced into your body when they shot you. After a series of tests, we found that it was designed to suppress the mutant X-Gene temporarily." Cecilia leaned back on her chair, and gave Marrow a moment to absorb what she had said.

"Like a chemical version of the inhibitor collar?" Marrow volunteered hesitantly.

"Exactly!" Cecilia smiled in approval, "but in your case, it didn't do what it was design to do, instead it triggered a series of changes in the DNA strands that define your powers." Cecilia noticed Marrow's stunned look and hurried to finish her explanation. "What I am trying to tell you is that you're still a mutant with an active power, the problem is that right now we don't know what will happen to your powers until these changes finish taking place. All this could expand your control over your powers or change them altogether." Cecilia finished.

Marrow studies Cecilia's face, as if trying to read her mind. "So, you're saying I still have powers but you don't know what they are?" Marrow paused, trying to collect her thoughts. _I am so screwed_. A few moments later, Marrow turned away and looked around the kitchen, trying to get her mind around all of it.

"I am so sorry." Cecilia said wholeheartedly.

"For what?" Marrow asked surprised at the apology, "It's not your fault. And it could have been worse, right?" Marrow bowed her head and rested it in her hands. "Could you leave me alone for a while?"

Cecilia knew better than to argue with that request, so reluctantly she stood up and started moving towards the door.

Marrow sat on the balcony, and looked tiredly over the city. She spent hours watching people go on about their day and found herself resenting them for being so normal when her own life was falling apart. Frowning she got up and stretched her legs, still looking out towards the streets. It was mostly quiet out there but there were still a few individuals walking around. Then hearing a sound, she turned toward the door and called out, "Hello?"

No answer.

She stepped towards the sliding door preparing to turn the light switch when she saw a shadow coming towards her. Then recognizing it for who it was, she decided to sit back down.

"Here," Xian said, handing Marrow a beer bottle. "Have a drink with me. I think you need it after today."

"No shit," she replied with a forced laugh.

"Are you ok?" Xian asked as she took a seat next to Marrow.

Marrow looked at her with a resentful look on her face, and Xian's expression froze, as she waited for Marrow's temper to explode. Surprisingly, the outburst did not come. "I'm fine..." She replied with a sigh, "Scared, and I hate being scared. It pisses me off!"

Xian turned to look at her, and saw only weariness. She reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Marrow's ear. Swallowing audibly, she wished she knew what to say, "Sarah..."

Instinctively Marrow knew that Xian was trying to comfort her, but didn't know how. She smiled sadly in thanks for the attempt and they both sat there in silence. Xian picked up her bottle and took a sip from it, feeling safe in knowing that no matter what happened here this would be a memorable night. It was a long time before either of them said another word.

Marrow lay in bed on her back, her head turned to the side as she looked out the window. She never thought that she would come to enjoy the view, but after three hours of doing nothing else, the view grew on her. Marrow could hear Cecilia moving around in her home office, the sound of her typing clear even without her enhanced senses. She knew that Cecilia was worried about her. She had not said much since Xian informed her that she had to return to the institute. Xian had come to watch over her as a favor to Henry, but now it was time to get back to work and her family.

_And_ w_ho are you to compete with that?_,she wondered miserably. _No one, you're no one. You don't even have powers, _her mind mocked._ Yes, I do! So shut up, just fuckin' shut up! _she shot back, her mind filling with possibilities. Marrow pressed her lips together and swallowed, hoping it would keep her from being sick.

"It will be fine", she said, and closed her eyes. Hoping that saying it aloud would make it so. Marrow moved, slowly holding up her hand for examination, and wishing for the first time in her life that bones would just magically appear everywhere. _Hell, anywhere will do. _

Cecilia walked towards the guest room, knowing that she would fine the girl looking out the window. It had been five hours and there seem to be no pause to her silent vigil. Cecilia paused at the open doorway and leaned against the frame, waiting for the teen to acknowledge her presence.

The injured teen turned her head towards her and frowned, then bracing her feet on the windowsill, leaned back in her chair. Marrow stared at her intently, and Cecilia did not know if it was interest or plain annoyance written all over her face.

"Marrow?" Cecilia took a step into the room, looking at her. "Want to talk about it?"

Marrow shrugged not wanting to answer, and then replied with an angry, "No."

Nodding as if she had made up her mind about something Cecilia spoke. "Mira pequena, I am a bit older than you so let me give you some advice."

"I don't want advice, I just want you to leave me alone!" snapped Marrow.

With a shake of her head and a chuckle Cecilia continued, "Too bad because you are going to hear it anyway, girl."

"Fine!"

"Look girl, don't think I didn't notice your behavior when Xian was around," Cecilia said in exasperation.

Reeling her head back in surprise, Marrow almost fell. The only thing that saved her was that she quickly pulled her feet down and jerked her seat forward. "Oh, for fuck's sake!

"All I'm saying is that if you miss her, then you should call her." Cecilia finished.

"I'm not calling anyone, because I don't _miss_ anyone."

"Uh huh," Not convinced, Cecilia pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Marrow. "Her phone number is in there. It's up to you to use it."

Marrow eyed the piece of paper, trying to conceal her curiosity but doing a poor job of it. "Hmm, thanks?"

Suddenly feeling very old and tired, Cecilia stood up. _Maybe that will get her out of her funk, _she thoughtand with a sigh of resignation headed out the door and towards her bedroom.

END CHAPTER FOUR


End file.
